Laboratory and Field Procedures Used to Characterize Materials (0-5798-P1)

The objective of TxDOT Project 0-5798 is to develop the framework for the development and implementation of the next level of Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) for TxDOT (Tex-ME). A very important aspect of this project is to identify laboratory testing procedures, which can be used to provide TxDOT with the material properties needed as inputs to both the pavement response and performance prediction models. This product documents the laboratory and field procedures used to characterize materials; it includes the research team's recommendations for Level 1 test needed to characterize the rutting potential of asphalt, granular, and soil layers and also the cracking potential of asphalt layers. These procedures should be considered as drafts at this time, they will be included in the project final report.